QANTAS Planes Don’t Look Like This Anymore

The Feed

Posted on October 27, 2016
by Olivia Mackinnon

When you think of iconic Aussie brands, few are more recognisable than QANTAS. With the beautiful kangaroo on the tail and the striking red and white contrast, you can almost hear the song playing in your head when you see one soaring through the sky.

Oh come on, you know the song…

So when I heard that they’d changed their look, I was a little worried, I’ll be honest.

But I needn’t of been.

For only the fifth time in the company’s history, QANTAS has upgraded their iconic logo to include new typography and a sleeker kangaroo on the tail. According to the airline: “The new design was overseen by Qantas consultant designer, Marc Newson, in partnership with Australian design agency Houston Group.”

Newson said in the announcement: “Aircraft tails are fantastic canvas to work on and the Qantas logo is one of the most recognisable in the world. This re-design aims to retain the fundamental essence of the flying kangaroo but also move the brand forward.

“This new brand is more streamlined and the shading behind the kangaroo gives a better sense of movement and depth. A silver band now extends from the tail to the rear of the fuselage, to give a more premium feel.

“The typography for the word Qantas, which measures almost two metres high on the 787, has been carefully streamlined. And Qantas will appear on the aircraft’s belly, so you can tell when it’s the national carrier flying overhead.”

Speaking at an event to promote the airline’s forthcoming new fleet of Boeing 787 Dreamliners, Qantas CEO Alan Joyce said: “Since the image of a kangaroo first appeared on a Qantas aircraft more than 80 years ago, it’s come to represent the spirit of Australia. When passengers see the Qantas tail at airports around the world, it’s a symbol of home,” said Mr Joyce.

“We wanted to make sure our brand remained familiar but we also wanted it to be more modern and dynamic, like the 787 and like Qantas. “When we looked at the history, we found that the logo has been updated around the time of a game-changing new aircraft joining the fleet. It’s a tradition that goes back to the Lockheed Constellation in 1947, the B747-300 in 1984 and the A380 in 2007.

“A fresh brand helps symbolise the new era Qantas is entering as we head towards our centenary. It’s an era of new destinations, new technology and a new standard of service,” added Mr Joyce.